The Dark Pillar

The Training / Final Selection Part 1

Nero's POV

It's been several days since I started training to be a Demonslayer, to my understanding I only have a few days left till Final Selection. So I don't have time to learn a breathing style in time , but under the tutelage of a man named Crow . " YOu only have a few days left, Nero , going through proper sword training is the best way for you to at least survive Final Selection. He said as he held his sword with his right hand. Crow was a man in his late 60's, withblack hair slowly changing to grey hair he was wearing a torn cloth over his demon slayer uniform , however i noticed that his left arm was gone meaning that he lost it during a mission or something else happened.He was a high ranking one at that that was called the night pillar he used a breathing style called night breathing . A style that uses one hand on the sword . I can only recall the 2 forms he used .

First form : Guillotine and second form: Eternal

Guillotine is just a basic downward slash with enough force to crack the surrounding area in a crater. Eternal is a quick strike with him returning his sword in its sheath and in a flash drawing the sword slashing at the target in several directions.

I've been training under him for 2 weeks now , Kaga- I mean Oyakata Sama told me everything about the slayer Corps , seeing as how they're not recognized by the government as official and it's sole purpose is to Destroy the demon named Muzan Kibutsuji. However from what he told me about the demons , they never traveled in packs before. This sudden development involving the demons made him worry about the survival of the human race. I Continued to train under Crow until Final Selection . I read bits and pieces of the scroll given to me by him about Yamato. The Sword was given to the Demon Slayers Corps by a Foreigner , demons killed by the sword aren't disintegrated but instead absorbed making the blade more durable and stronger. However the sword chooses who wields it. Crow also told me a bit of knowledge he has about the sword , Yamato must have been held onto by people who had one driving force " Power. ". I Trained to give payback to those demons that killed my friend and those in the village I lived in . " Nero, Yamato was given to us to use for the sole purpose of killing demons . " Crow said as he kept swinging his sword at me . I can only block his attacks as I was being pushed back against a tree. " Use my Power Nero.... Time to show this human ... the power I can give you." a voice called out , swinging his blade down towards me . Our blades crossed him being older and much stronger than me towered over me . Using his height to his advantage pressed me against the tree , causing it to break. " You need to get stronger Nero, learn from this battle ." he said as the tree behind me began to break. Me being on the short end , was using both hands on Yamato to try and force him back. " Nero , use my power ... " the sword began to glow blue , I felt the same presence from before in the cave . I looked at him and said in a more demonic tone " Time to end this.." I pushed him back and returned my sword to the sheath and got in a pose . Crow held his sword up, being on guard for what's about to come. I Pulled the sword out with all my might, and in a flash several slashes approached him. Crow swords blocked so many before pushing him back shattering his sword in the process. He looked at me and smiled and said " You did it Nero. " as he crashed into another tree, forcing the tree to fall over crashing into another. I was breathing very heavily , because that was the first time I did something like that . " Sensei, was that a breathing technique ? " I asked as I stood up. " No , Nero, that right there was the strength of the Yamato , a power you need to learn to control and keep in check at all times. " He said as he struggled to get up , I looked at Yamato as the blue light faded from the blade. " So ... Do you think i can do it ?" I asked as he finally got up from the tree and said " I think you can become much more than any slayer Nero. " I smiled at his compliment , I can go farther than any slayer . " But you need to control it as I said before , for now you can survive going to the Final Selection in a few days which you need to prepare for . " he said as he looked at his shattered Blade. I sheathed Yamato and bowed in respect for his help in this short amount of training. " Go to Mount Fujikasane, that is where the Final Selection will be held . " he said , without a second thought I went to prepare for the journey there. Bringing any necessities , food, water. " Nero,  Here take this ." Crow said as he hands me a Haori ." Isn't this ? " Crow nodded and said " this was the Haori I once wore as the Night Pillar , before I retired. " I looked at the Haori and was somewhat skeptical about wearing something as important as this " Crow I don't know if- " I was about to say something until i was interrupted by him , " I'm giving this to you." he said as he looked at me , held my hands out and he placed it on my hands . " The Night Pillar was only a part of something much bigger , you need to be bigger than that Nero. " I was thankful for this Gift. , but still skeptical about wearing it during Final Selection.